Hillsborough County proposes increase in stormwater fee to deal with flooding

Hillsborough County officials say over the last few weeks, with all the rain, they've had to install 18 to 20 temporary pumping stations to deal with all the water.

"The drain systems fill up, the natural ponds and wetlands all get full of water and they don’t have time to recover with these intense rains,” said John Lyons, the Public Works Administrator for Hillsborough County.

But the county says funding to clean out drains and pipes and replace aging infrastructure is really low.

It’s why the county suggested a stormwater fee hike for nearly 300,000 property owners in unincorporated Hillsborough County based on the size of their home.

"A medium size home that pays $42 today would pay somewhere around $100 annually,” Lyons said.

The county is holding a series of public meetings to help answer any questions residents may have.

More information on the stormwater fee: https://www.hcfl.gov/en/residents/property-owners-and-renters/roads-and-sidewalks/proposed-stormwater-fee